Serves You Right Lesbian and gay people’s expectations of discrimination

www..org.uk Supported by

Accenture takes pride in its workforce. Employing diverse groups of people from different backgrounds, with a vast range of skills and experience, Accenture is committed to building, maintaining and expanding a work environment conducive to attracting and retaining the best talent. As part of Accenture‘s commitment to diversity, Accenture advocates a work environment that respects, welcomes and supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender professionals, and empowers them to perform to their fullest potential and contribute to the greater goals of the firm. Accenture is ranked in the top 20 employers for gay and lesbian people according to Stonewall’s 2007 Workplace Equality Index. Serves You Right Lesbian and gay people’s expectations of discrimination

Ruth Hunt and Sam Dick

Genuine equality will not be achieved by providing the same service for everyone; equality of opportunity is not enough. It means delivering the same outcome for everyone, recognising the diverse needs of different communities and individuals and responding appropriately to those needs.” Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, 19 February 2008

Supported by

www.stonewall.org.uk 2 Introduction

The last five years have seen a catalogue of legal changes This research provides a powerful reminder that the equality benefiting lesbian, gay and bisexual people. But however of output which remains central to any aspiration for centrally involved Stonewall has been in campaigning for personalised 21st-century public services is dependent upon those legislative landmarks – from the repeal of to moving beyond equality of input. People need to be treated the introduction of civil partnership – we’ve always been differently according, precisely, to the nature of their aware that changing the law is the easier part of changing different needs. the wider world. The insight provided by this report highlights the one remaining This report outlines the results of the first statistically gap at the heart of Britain’s legislative equality framework. significant national survey ever conducted into the life There is not yet a duty on public bodies requiring them to experiences of Britain’s 3.6 million gay people. The resulting promote equality of service for gay people in the way that picture is stark. already exists for gender, ethnicity and disability. The urgency of introducing such a ‘positive duty’ on public bodies is amply Many lesbian and gay people still expect discrimination in illustrated by the compelling new evidence outlined here. their everyday lives. They still feel prevented from making a positive contribution to their communities and their Ben Summerskill workplaces. From police stations to family courts and from Chief Executive housing to health services, gay people remain uncertain of Stonewall fair treatment, an uncertainty all too often derived from personal experience.

Contents page

Summary and key findings 4

1. A political voice: gay people in public life 6

2. Schools and families: gay people and education 9

3. The right side of the law: gay people and the criminal justice system 11

4. The caring professions: gay people and health and housing 13

5. The token: gay people in the media 16

6. The day job: gay people in the workplace 18

Recommendations 19

This research was carried out by YouGov for Stonewall in December 2007

www.stonewall.org.uk 3 Summary and key findings

In December 2007 Stonewall commissioned YouGov to • Half of lesbian and gay people think they would survey a sample of 1,658 lesbian, gay and bisexual people face barriers to selection by the Liberal Democrats. across Britain. This is the first time a national polling organisation has been able to conduct a survey exclusively I